Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Florita, was a tropical cyclone that impacted the Philippines in August 2022. The ninth named storm of the 2022 Pacific typhoon season, Ma-on originated as a disturbance over in the Pacific Ocean on August 18, and was upgraded to a tropical depression during the next day. The depression strengthened into a tropical storm receiving the name Ma-on, and became a severe tropical storm late on August 23 before making landfall in the Philippines. It would later make landfall in China and Vietnam on August 25. Ma-on weakened back to a tropical depression and due to unfavorable conditions it dissipated on August 26, 2022.
The storm caused moderate damage in the Philippines, China and Vietnam.
Meteorological history
A disturbance that would eventually become Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on was first noted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) on August 18, while it was located about southeast of Taipei, Taiwan. Deep convection associated with the disturbance strong low level persisted. Favourable environment for further development, being offset by warm sea surface temperatures of around . During August 19, the Japan Meteorological Agency began tracking a low pressure in the Philippine Sea. The system moved westwards, eventually developing into a tropical depression on August 20. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) began tracking the system, giving the local name Florita on August 21.
On the same day, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) for the system. Shortly afterwards, the JTWC designated the system as 10W. Satellite imagery indicated that it had formative bands with a low-level circulation center (LLCC). By August 22, the JMA classified the system as a tropical storm and named the storm Ma-on. Later on, the JTWC and PAGASA also upgraded the system into a tropical storm. Ma-on began to moved slowly, under the influence of a subtropical ridge off the coast of Luzon. At 18:00 UTC, the JMA upgraded Ma-on to severe tropical storm status. The PAGASA reported that the system intensified into a severe tropical storm on August 23.
At that time, multispectral animated satellite imagery revealed a symmetrical central convection. Ma-on made landfall over Maconacon in the province of Isabela around 10:30 (PHT) (02:30 UTC). The system continued consolidating which allowed it to organized a small microwave eye. Traversing the Luzon Islands before it emerged over the coastal of Ilocos Norte. Ma-on exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 05:00 PHT August 24 (21:00 UTC August 23). Upper-Level near the storm's center struggled to organize due to moderate to strong east-northeasterly shear. An Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) pass indicated that the storm was along the southern of the system. Ma-on moved west-northwest and subsequently made second landfall just southwest of Yangjiang, China on August 25. Shortly after the landfall, the JTWC discontinued warnings on the system. Ma-on later become unfavorable of its intensity. As a result, the JMA downgraded the system to a tropical storm at 06:00 UTC that day. Ma-on moved west to the Gulf of Tonkin, and made third and final landfall in Móng Cái City, Quảng Ninh Province in Vietnam on 13:00 UTC. After that, JMA declared that Ma-on weakened to a tropical depression, until it was last noted in Northern Vietnam on August 26.
Preparations and impact
Philippines
Ahead of the storm's arrival, PAGASA placed the provinces of Aurora, Isabela and Cagayan under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) #1 on August 21, 2022. During the next day, PAGASA raised TCWS #2 before TCWS #3 was ultimately issued and extended to include other parts of Luzon on August 23. President Bongbong Marcos suspended classes and government work in some areas in Luzon on August 23 and 24 just one day after the opening of full face-to-face classes, two years since the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines prompted schools to shift to distance or online learning.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that 16,654 food packs had been prepared. In Isabela, heavy rains brought by the storm caused four overflow bridges to be impassable. In Cagayan, 10,608 hectares of rice and corn farms were destroyed. In Pampanga, 39 barangays were flooded. In Cordillera, 1,882 search and rescue cop teams were placed on standby.